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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24339673">A Liar's comeuppance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerlinaBlack/pseuds/SerlinaBlack'>SerlinaBlack</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>unrelated MLB stuff [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>...........sort of not really, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, F/M, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Lila salt, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug is Called MDC, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Sabine is the best mother ......in law, a bit of twitter thrown in, adrien stands up for himself, class with a pinch ofsalt, i don't know her, what is a canon?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:15:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,528</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24339673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerlinaBlack/pseuds/SerlinaBlack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The whole thing with Lila came to a head Just as Adrien was about to rip her a new one. Thankfully Jagged and Clara have dramatic timing in built</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir &amp; Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois/Kagami Tsurugi (mentioned), Penny Rolling/Jagged Stone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>unrelated MLB stuff [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758016</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1190</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Lila Anon Support Group, miraculous ladybug stories</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Liar's comeuppance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>ah, ok Listen , this was just supposed to be tiny little fic, IDK how it got this bad but meh, if your'e reading this, your'e gonna suffer through this</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It all came to a head on his Lady's birthday. Just as well, if it was a moment longer, not even his lady holding him back would have stopped him from using cataclysm on Lila's smug lying face. he, personally wouldn't have even had to. Plagg would have been glad to do it for him</p>
<p>He supposes it started when Mari, in a last ditch attempt to salvage whatever friends she could in the class, wanted to invite everyone to her birthday party.   </p>
<p>It went mostly horribly. </p>
<p>
  <i>{("Hey! Guys! I was wondering-" she called and looked disheartened when none of them looked particularly interested. Adrien glared at the back of their head.
</i></p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p><i>She shook herself off, and tried again,</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"Guys! Next Tuesday is my- " and that was when the queen of liars made her grand entrance. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Oh my god! You guys! Next Tuesday is the four year anniversary of mine and Clara Nightingale's friendship! You won't believe where I'm going to celebrate!" she practically squeals and obviously as usual everyone clambers towards her. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Finally giving up, Marinette slumped and walked away from the front of the class Chloe stopped her, whispered something that surprised the blunette. Then Chloe harrumphed and turned around like nothing happened. Mari still stared at her in shock and then smiled, a tiny little but genuine smile at her direction before walking back to their seat.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Milady,...." he starts, not sure what he was going to say but needing to comfort her in some way.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Chloe says she's going to come over after school for the party. " she stopped him with a rueful look, </i>
</p>
<p><i>Adrien sighed and side eyed their so-called friends. Mari grabbed one of his hands and squeezed a little.)</i> }</p>
<p> He sometimes wonders if he should have some goodwill for Lila since she’s the reason why he found his lady and his princess are the same, but, then he sees his lady not invited to a class event or some of his classmates tries to ‘save’ him from whatever it is Mari is doing to him and whatever goodwill he had dries up like the sahara. </p>
<p>
  <i>( When he lands on the rooftop Ladybug is already there. Having finished her patrol already. She didn't hear him land. So he took the time to study her. She has been slightly off lately. Nothing particularly noticeable but they’ve been partners for a while now. He knows his lady, he also knows when there’s something on her mind bothering her.
</i></p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Which is why he can say with certainty that something has been bothering her for the last few days. Not to say that’s a new experience, there has been something going on with his princess too. That, he knew about, but it still hurt to see their everyday ladybug get ostracised. He repressed a sigh, so maybe he is terrible at giving advice. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Then he saw her shoulders shake minisculely and realized his lady was crying. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Ladybug?” he called out softly, she still stiffened and rubbed her face to no avail. </i>
</p>
<p><i>"Hey Chaton, you done already?" her voice was hoarse and breaking his heart.</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"Bugaboo…. Talk to me? Please? " he begged and like a dam breaking her shaking became more prominent. </i>
</p>
<p><i>"It's stupid and it shouldn’t bother me this much. I feel- I feel like such a loser." she gasps out as he hugs her gently holding her as she cries herself out.</i> </p>
<p><i>"Hey,- " he admonishes softly, "-that's my Purrtner you're talking about. And she is one of the strongest and kindest people I know." that earned him a soft giggle</i> </p>
<p><i>“It’s just…. It's not even that big of a deal and I hate that I’m letting her get to me so much.”they sit down on the roof. Ladybug with her head on his shoulder. And he would've been more excited at the intimacy of the entire thing had she not been crying just a few seconds ago or had he not been questioning his own heart the last few days.</i> </p>
<p><i>"Tell me, you don't have to say anything that risks your identity but vaguely? But who would hurt you?" he implored.</i> </p>
<p><i>"There's this girl in school, She's new and has been spreading lies since the day she came. And everyone believes her for some reason. " she starts softly.</i> </p>
<p><i>Half of his mind is screaming 'what are the odds' at him and the other half is telling him not to project. He likes two people and at one point, he'd probably have to let both of them go. It'd be easier for him in the long run if he doesn’t set up for more heartbreak.</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"You remember the guy I told you about?" </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"The one you like? "</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Yeah, him. He knows  that She's lying but he asked me not to expose her." </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Milady -"</i>
</p>
<p><i>"And he wasn’t </i>wrong<i>, not necessarily, the first time he saw her called out she got akumatized. And hey, maybe it would've lessened with time but it just got worse you know-" </i></p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p><i>He wanted to say something, anything. Maybe warn ladybug that she probably shouldn’t say more. Maybe ask her not to give him hope but words died in his throat and his lady was on a roll.       </i>  </p>
<p><i>"One time she cornered me in the bathroom and told me that she'd turn all my friends against me. I trusted them to know me, you know, I told her 'we'll see'-" she took a deep breath.</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"- And She's turning them against me. She threw her lunch at me today and told everyone I tripped her. They believed her. She started small but now whenever she says anything no one even bothers to ask me what happened they just take her at face value. The worst part is, They've been my friend for years, and they believe I would hurt someone just because I'm jealous"  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Mari" he breathed. Because despite not being able to go to school that day he heard from Nino what happened, well, he supposes he heard Lila's version of what happened. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>His lady- His princess stiffened. Wide eyed and panicked as he winced, "I'm so so sorry Milady I- uh- I didn’t mean to - just Nino told me what happened today and you mentioned the new girl lying and only so much could be coincidence-"</i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>… she ran. They talked three days later.) </i> </p>
<p>The night before her birthday when he had just finished packing her gift (Gifts <i>ssss</i> plural and many said a voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like a certain destruction kwami) he got a call. </p>
<p>He took out the phone wondering if it was Nino again. Their friendship had gotten a little strained over the Lila ordial but he was still his friend.</p>
<p>He smiled when he saw the call id though. </p>
<p>"Sabine! Hey!" </p>
<p>"Adrien! How are you doing?" she asks ignoring he just left her house an hour ago. </p>
<p>"I just finished wrapping up the last of the gifts…..er…the gift. That's what I meant. The gift. Just the one. " he replies. </p>
<p>"Of course. I believe that." he can <i> hear </i> the eye roll. "I hope there aren't any…. Trouble?" she asks about his father subtly. He sighs. </p>
<p>"Well, it didn’t really get any worse? After I threatened to quit again he has just stopped communication.  He knows I wasn’t kidding about the lawsuit. " </p>
<p>"All right, you know You're always welcome here Adrien." she says softly. Adrien chokes up a little.  She has been offering to let him stay in their home ever since she heard he threatened his father with a child labour lawsuit. </p>
<p>"I know Sabine. Thank you." he says as empathetic as he can. </p>
<p>"Now let's take your mind off that horrible man, oh! Jagged and Clara have been calling repeatedly to know what duty they each are on" Adrien chuckled at that. </p>
<p>"How is Penny holding up? " </p>
<p>"Questioning her marriage." </p>
<p>"Hey, Sabine…… about Jagged and Clara…."  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <i>( "Father I  would like to speak with you." That was how he stated it. That was the beginning  of the end of whatever frayed relationship they had. 
</i></p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"I will speak to you later Adrien." </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"I quit." </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Excuse me?"</i>
</p>
<p><i>"I quit. I quit modeling. I quit fencing. I quit chinese and I quit piano."</i> </p>
<p><i>"No you won't. You are under my care and-"</i> </p>
<p><i>"Do you know how many child labour laws you are breaking? It's frankly a lot. If you lock me out of school questions will rise. And if you think I'm not serious, here's a copy of exactly what will be posted in every face of the media if you try to impose your brand name on me again. "</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"Adrien!-" </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"And I want access to my wage. I won't get an emancipation if you just let me live like I am emancipated.  That would be better for your brand and my sanity I believe. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Adrien…. Why…"</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Because I am tired, father. I am tired of waiting for you and you never being there. I can't keep being disappointed all my life and I needed you to at least once see how it feels to be on the other end. "</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"...."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"If there is nothing else to say I will be taking my leave. Oh, and kindly stop using Lila to spy on me. You could have asked about me and I would have told you about my life before you missed your chance. " </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"At least keep working for the brand. Without the additional lessons"</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Fine. So long as it doesn't drive up a wedge between me and my friends.  And I refuse to work with Lila again. " </i>
</p>
<p><i>"For what it’s worth, I- I am sorry son"</i> </p>
<p><i>
"So am I. Good day father.") </i>
</p>
<p>He got to school just in time. Nathalie doesn’t have to wake him up anymore but she does anyway.  She technically also doesn’t need to make sure he eats, especially since more often than not, he just eats whatever Mari brings up from the bakery but he gets the feeling she does care for him. At least somewhat. </p>
<p>"Hey dude!" Nino and him don’t see eye to eye about Lila, and it is a sore spot especially considering neither of their girlfriends talked in the last month, but they just developed a avoiding anything about Lila and we're good routine and they stuck to it. </p>
<p>Sometimes, heck, most times he wishes he never told his lady to take the highroad. By the time he realized he made a mistake, Lila had everyone in her grasp and his lady wouldn’t let him tell them because then Lila wouldn’t hesitate to throw him under the bus to be labeled  as a bully too.  </p>
<p>
  <i>{(Mari was playing with her food. 
</i></p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Adrien grit his teeth and glanced at the other table where most of the class was sitting. None of them noticed Mari. No one went up to sit with their Class president. He took a deep breath and walked passed them sitting next to her with a guilty smile. </i>
</p>
<p><i>"Hey Mari"</i> </p>
<p><i>"A-Adrien!  You here?- What here - wait no- what are you doing here?"  over time he may or may not have come to think of her stutters as adorable.</i> </p>
<p><i>"I thought I'd have lunch with you."</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"But- what about-" she nervously glanced behind him likely at the table full of people where no one noticed Mari missing. </i>
</p>
<p><i>"I think you can use a friend. And I wanted to apologise. " he motioned her to start eating.</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"Wha-? Why?" she looks so cute blinking up at him confused. No stop bad Adrien. Stop thinking about how cute Mari is.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Because I was wrong when I told you not to expose Lila. I thought she would stop at one point and not hurt anyone but she is clearly hurting you. I am sorry Marinette. "</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She shook her head and tried to wave him off, "It's  fine Adrien. You didn’t know she was hurting me. And I  understand where you’re  coming from. You don't like to fight anyone so you hoped you wouldn’t have to. From what you knew you were right. " </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"But in total I wasn’t. So, let me fix my mistakes? Mari I've been a terrible friend to you. I thought how Lila got akumatized the first time she was called out, but I didn’t take your feelings into account. I'll talk to everyone. Tell them about Lila maybe even-"</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"No! Adrien, don't." she yelped. Adrien frowned. </i>
</p>
<p><i>"Why?"</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"Then She's going to turn her lies against you and make you look like a bully too." she hissed grabbing his hand in an attempt to stop him as though he would just get up to tell people. </i>
</p>
<p><i>"She can't go that far."</i> </p>
<p><i>"Why do you think I'm eating here alone? "   and wasn’t  that just a nice little slap to his face.</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>"I can't just let her get away with this. And I can't let you suffer for her lies." </i>
</p>
<p><i>  "Please Adrien, just…. Just stay my friend? Just don't leave me like the rest and I'll be fine." somehow the idea of just being her friend sent a twinge to his heart that he did not want to examine too far.   ) </i>
</p>
<p>By the time they were nearing lunch Lila's tales of her trip with Clara and of course that She's MDC's friend were nearly giving Adrien a headache. </p>
<p>How none of them made the connection of MDC to Marinette Dupain freaking Cheng  he had no idea but Mari didn’t want to come to the spotlight back when she started the brand so that worked out in their favour. </p>
<p>
  <i>{(Jagged and Clara have a friendly rivalry 
</i></p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i></i>
</p>
<p><i>They want to be the best honorary uncle / aunt to his Princess. No, that position cannot be shared.</i> </p>
<p><i>  Neither agree to back down and it drives Penny and Clara's PR up the wall because of the bickering on Twitter. They had to confirm no less than seventeen different times that no, Jagged and Clara don’t actually hate each other they're just competitive.</i> </p>
<p>
  <i>Competitive about what you ask? Well It's sort of personal sorry. </i>
</p>
<p><i>How does Adrien Agreste come into this? Well….. Honestly not even he knows.  </i> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>      <b><span class="u">You'reUnder @ A.agreste</span></b></p>
<p>I know I usually wear Gabriel and it's great, but why are people sleeping on MDC?  </p>
<p>   °picture of adrien in a designer shirt° </p>
<p>       <b><span class="u">OhSingSweet @ Nightingale </span></b></p>
<p>Are you stealing my favorite  designer Agreste? </p>
<p>      <b><span class="u"> Rock and Rollin @ Jagged</span></b></p>
<p>You're both stealing my favourite designer is what You're doing. </p>
<p>        <b><span class="u"> You'reUnder @ A.agreste</span></b></p>
<p>Clara you're great  and Jagged I  love your music but kindly step off MDC is clearly my designer. </p>
<p>        <b><span class="u"> OhSingSweet @ Nightingale</span></b></p>
<p>Listen sunshine boy, you may have known her first. But I will steal her away. </p>
<p>          <b><span class="u"> You'reUnder @ A.agreste</span></b></p>
<p>Not from how far you are you aren’t. </p>
<p>       <b><span class="u">Kero @ sippy</span></b></p>
<p>Ok but who the f is MDC. </p>
<p>        <b><span class="u">You'reUnder @ A.agreste</span></b></p>
<p> @ sippy god's gift to mankind and fashion.   </p>
<p>       <b><span class="u">Trippy @ croxus</span></b></p>
<p>Ok, but seriously is the shirt from a new designer? It looks hella cool. </p>
<p>        <b><span class="u">Rosen @ rosemary</span></b></p>
<p><i>
  Forreal though can someone hit me up with MDC's contact or where I can get an original?<br/>
) }</i>
</p>
<p> "You ok?" Mari whispers when she hands him a box of what is likely baked goodies and both of their Lunch.  </p>
<p>"I will be when I go back to yours. I'm pretty sure I have a headache." he smiles ruefully   </p>
<p>"Aww kitty needs a head rub?" </p>
<p>"Yes please."  </p>
<p>Out of the corner of his eyes he sees Lila walk towards them with the rest following and resists the urge to sigh. </p>
<p>"Just a sec princess" he takes out his phone and fires off one single text. </p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>Form: Future son in law     </b>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Release the kraken (or singers i guess)    </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>From : an actual saint</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>They've been ready and waiting to leave for an hour </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>°picture of Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale standing in the bakery, they look like they're posturing each other and Penny in the background sitting on a countertop face pressed to her hands °</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>Form: Future son in law</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Did Penny give up on them? </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>From : an actual saint</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>She's helping Tom with the Macaroons now and keeping an eye on them until a second ago. Good luck. </i>
</p>
<p>"Adrien!" a grating voice calls him out from texting. </p>
<p>"There's the headache." he whispers so that only Mari hears and she turns her head to his shoulder to stifle her giggles. </p>
<p>Lila as she approaches them eyes Mari distastefully and Adrien throws a hand around her waist out of spite (and also slightly cause he wanted to) </p>
<p>"Hello Lila." he says politely enough. </p>
<p>"You always sit here to eat Adrien, won't you join our table?"   she flutters her eyelashes as though he didn’t make it clear he doesn’t want her to flirt with him.    </p>
<p>The honest answer is no. He doesn’t want to and he won't. But, well, his Lady did tell him not to give her ammunition. </p>
<p>"I like eating here, It's peaceful and has good company." Still, since he already did have his future mother in law release the kraken, he can't not be just a little pointed. </p>
<p>Her face did a little twitch like she was trying not to scowl at him. </p>
<p>"There’s good company there too." oh, so she wanted to keep Mari out of the conversation huh? </p>
<p>"Mari do you want to go there?" he asks her instead. Hoping Lila understands the ball is firmly in the blunette's court. After all he'll follow wherever his lady leads him </p>
<p>"I- uh..." </p>
<p>"Adrien Lila invited <i>you</i> to the table." Kim called out making Marinette wince. </p>
<p>"Well I'm not leaving Mari alone " </p>
<p>"Come on Mari isn't it a little selfish of you to keep Adrien to yourself all the time? He's our friend too" Lila jabs and Adrien's eye twitches in anger. </p>
<p>Before he rips Lila  a new one however, Max makes a surprising discovery. </p>
<p>"Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale! "  he yelps and turns every head to the entryway. And sure enough Jagged and Clara are standing at the door looking around</p>
<p>" what an astute observation " Adrien mutters. </p>
<p>"Kitty!" Mari hisses</p>
<p>"What?" he asks innocently. </p>
<p>"Did you tell them to come to our school?" </p>
<p>"Of course not Mari!.....  I told Sabine to hold them off until lunch so they don't disturb the classes. See how responsible I am? Aren’t you proud of me?" </p>
<p>Mari facepalms "minou…" she groans. </p>
<p>It was Rose who approached them to help with directions. He glanced at Lila to see her open mouthed shock and realization that her tower of lies were crumbling. </p>
<p>"Are you looking for Lila? " </p>
<p>"Who?" Jagged asked confused. </p>
<p>Rose startled at that. "Um- Lila - Lila Rossi?" she tries again. </p>
<p>"I've never heard of her I fear. We're here to see our niece dear" Clara says confused. </p>
<p>"You're rhyming again" Jagged pokes her. </p>
<p>"Ah, I'm afraid I tend to forget, though It's just rhymes so I have no regret. "  she scratches the back of her head and then shakes her head. </p>
<p>"I'm working on it " she offers, then turns back to Rose who's confusion was apparent. </p>
<p>"Your niece? You two share a niece?" she gasps. </p>
<p>Adrien snorts when she said 'share' they don't share Marinette. Sometimes they look like two toddlers vying for one person's attention. Not that…<i> he's</i> salty he has to share Mari with them or anything. (Shut up inner Plagg )  </p>
<p>"Well, not biologically but the birthday girl is our niece in everything but that. " Jagged confirms. There's a gasp from the table where everyone else is sitting. Alya has a hand pressed to her mouth and staring at shock at Mari. Oh, well, looks like someone just remembered Mari's birthday. Adrien thought bitterly.</p>
<p>"Oh! There she is. " Clara pointed in their direction. And not a moment later Adrien's girlfriend was taken from his arms to be glomped by the two musicians. </p>
<p>"Mari! Happy birthday!" </p>
<p>"You're gonna have a rocking Birthday Mari! I even helped with the decorations So it's extra rock and roll." Jagged  bragged. </p>
<p>"She <i> has</i> to see the Macaroons . Can I  just take you to and from the bakery for a while? I promise  to be quick please Mari, we can even bring some back for lover boy!" Clara practically vibrated in her spot. </p>
<p>Mari looked uncomfortably around the room to the watch, Jagged, Lila and to Adrien. </p>
<p>He smiled at her reassuringly, she sighed, "You'll be ok right?" she glanced at Lila again. </p>
<p>"I'll be fine princess,  pawmise. " </p>
<p>"Yeah ok, you’re fine, I'll be back as soon as I can!" she calls as Clara pulls her away out the door. </p>
<p>"Mr. Stone?" Mylene was the first one to approach the rock star though she looked apprehensive to do so.</p>
<p>"Didn’t  Lila save your cat in an airport once?  And you wrote a song to thank her? "</p>
<p>"I've never had a cat." he shrugged "and I definitely don’t remember any Lila.... Agreste? Who is this girl?" he added the last part looking at Adrien who was having the time of his life. </p>
<p>"Her. She said she saved your cat but got Tinnitus because of it." he explained nonchalantly pointing a thumb at the liar who was slowly walking towards the door.</p>
<p>Ivan caught her and stood in front of the door before she could bolt. </p>
<p>"Never met her in my life." </p>
<p>"Weren’t you going to the Louvre with Clara today?" Alix pointed out crossing her arms and scowling at Lila. </p>
<p>"Uh- um did I say Clara? I meant-" </p>
<p>"Save it, you've been lying to us. What else did you lie to us about?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. </p>
<p>"But I-" </p>
<p>"Everything she said about Marinette!" Adrien said raising his arm like he was answering a question in class. </p>
<p>"But…. Mari is jealous of Lila so she…" Kim  was saying slowly and Adrien  rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>"Don’t even finish that sentence. Did you ever think Mari would be capable of bullying someone before Lila began feeding you her lies?" he demands. His class falls silent. </p>
<p>"What do you mean Mari bullying someone? She wouldn’t hurt a fly!" Jagged piped up looking aghast. </p>
<p>"Wait no, guys listen to me. Marinette probably put him up to this!" Lila yelped. Adrien and Jagged both glared at the italian. </p>
<p>"No, no she didn’t. Marinette didn’t do anything wrong. But we- I didn’t believe it." Alya finally broke her silence.   </p>
<p>"Oh! Come on! You people act like this is such a big revelation. She said you could have your eyes gouged out by a paper napkin. You wear glasses!" Chloe snapped at Max. And then turned to the rest, "honestly if Dupain Cheng should have ever retaliated against anyone it should have been <i>me</i> not sausage hair galore. And aren’t you supposed to be a journalist? Shouldn’t you learn to fact check? " she snapped at Alya making the girl flinch. </p>
<p>"Wait, Adrien, why didn’t you tell us? If you knew?" Alix pointed out.</p>
<p>"Because I didn’t want to be ostracized and labeled  as a bully? Well… I would have taken the chance, It's more that Princess didn’t want me to be ostracized." he explained and saw Juleka mouth 'Princess' to Nino who was comforting Alya sitting between the two girls. </p>
<p>"Adrien! Your girlfriend better not be stealing mine" Chloe says staring at her phone and then walking up to him and shoving it at his face Kagami sent her a selfie, her and Mari had their face squished together and both were beaming. </p>
<p>Adrien smiled softly at the picture. Good. His lady deserved to be happy. </p>
<p>"I don't know what to tell you Chloe,  She's just that irresistible." he tells her flatly  and then smirks at her.  </p>
<p>"Ugh ridiculous!  Utterly ridiculous! " she puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms.    </p>
<p>"Guys! Please, I meant to  say I was going out with MDC today not Clara that's all. Sometimes all the names get confusing because of my short term memory loss. " Lila yelped out and that,.... Wow. his classmates didn't look like they were buying it though , Small mercies.</p>
<p>Luckily his lady had the perfect sense of dramatic timing and  And chose that moment to walk in and poke Ivan to get in with Penny. </p>
<p>“I’m pretty sure MDC won’t be hanging out with you today. She already has plans.” Penny pointed out and Adrien nodded. Damn right she does, they were planning to run all over Paris rooftops today. There may or may not be various gifts hidden all across Paris today but that’s neither here nor there. </p>
<p>“And how would you know?” Lila snapped. </p>
<p>“Lila just stop.” Nathaniel snapped at her . </p>
<p>Penny just rolled her eyes, … Heh Penny rolling her eyes<br/>
“Because It’s her birthday and she has plans with Adrien?” Mari just sighed and walked over to Adrien to hug him. She held out the box of macaroons to him.  </p>
<p>“Adrien?.... Wait he <i>would</i> know MDC  He did talk about her on Twitter!” Kim pointed out and everyone turned hopeful eyes towards him. </p>
<p>Chloe scoffed as he ignored them and opened the box. Inside was a veritable rainbow of macaroons. She looked from over his shoulder and took a yellow macaroon from right under him. </p>
<p>“Hey!” </p>
<p>“Please tell me you people aren’t that stupid. Come on, M-D-C? Marinette Dupain Cheng? It’s a goddamn abbreviation how hard could it have been to solve it?” Chloe waved her arms around. Mari huffed but still said nothing. Just wordlessly passing the green macaroon to a Pouting Adrien. </p>
<p>On the other side , Lila was probably having the sky fall over her head when everyone turned to her and glared. The screaming match that followed was legendary. Mari even had to head to the roof to make sure no wondering Akumas could get in. which, in turn made Adrien feel guilty so he went up to keep her company. By the time they came back, Lila was practically frogmarched to the principal’s office who, in turn, finally contacted her woe begotten mother. </p>
<p>“Mari…. I-... I’m so so sorry. I’ve been such a terrible friend to you. I don’t  even know how I believed her now that I look back on it and….” Alya was saying through her tears. </p>
<p>Mari sighed and pulled her into a hug. </p>
<p>“I’m not going to lie and say it was ok, because it wasn’t. It really wasn’t, I was hurt. And I won’t apologize for having feelings. If it weren’t for Adrien I would've been alone. And I can’t just up and forgive you. <i>Any<i> of you. That won’t be fair to me. But I won’t give up on you either.” she makes sure to make eye contact with all of them before continuing </i></i></p><p>
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 “What Lila did was wrong, she manipulated you and used you, but you’re the one who got used because you didn't check if what she said was true.<i> And</i> you didn’t listen to me because you thought I was jealous, which I won’t deny I was Jealous. But only for a little while, and even if I was jealous, I Wouldn’t do the things she told you I did.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. 
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  “But people make mistakes. And that’s what you did. I can’t keep holding you accountable for everything. So, we’ll do this slowly? Be friends again?” she looked at them slowly and then Adrien realized his terrible positioning when everyone in class swept the both of them up in a tearful group hug.
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